Fact Check: "Fox News spreads misinformation"
What We Know
Fox News is currently facing significant legal challenges related to its coverage of the 2020 presidential election, particularly concerning allegations of election fraud. A New York State appellate court recently allowed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, a voting technology company, to proceed to trial. The lawsuit claims that Fox News broadcast false information about Smartmatic's involvement in election rigging, which the company argues has harmed its reputation and business (NPR, NY Times).
In April 2023, Fox News settled a similar lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million. Internal communications revealed during the pre-trial discovery process indicated that Fox executives and hosts were aware that Joe Biden had won the election fairly, yet they allowed false claims about election fraud to be aired to retain viewership among Trump supporters (NPR).
Analysis
The ongoing legal battles involving Fox News underscore a pattern of broadcasting misinformation. The Smartmatic lawsuit alleges that Fox News engaged in a "disinformation campaign" regarding the 2020 election, which the court has deemed sufficient to proceed to trial (NY Times). This claim is bolstered by the findings from the Dominion case, where the court found that Fox knowingly disseminated false information about the election.
The credibility of the sources involved in these lawsuits is notable. Smartmatic is a recognized voting technology company, and its claims are supported by legal findings from the Delaware court in the Dominion case, which established that Fox's actions constituted defamation. Furthermore, the internal communications revealed during the discovery process provide a critical insight into the network's operations and decision-making, indicating a deliberate choice to promote misinformation for ratings (NPR).
Fox News has attempted to defend its actions by claiming that it was merely reporting on newsworthy allegations made by public figures, including the former president. However, this defense has been rejected in court, which found that the network's executives and hosts had a responsibility to verify the claims before broadcasting them (NY Times).
Conclusion
The claim that "Fox News spreads misinformation" is substantiated by ongoing legal proceedings and internal evidence revealing the network's knowledge of the truth regarding the 2020 election. The court's findings in both the Dominion and Smartmatic cases indicate a pattern of knowingly broadcasting false claims, which supports the verdict of "True."
Sources
- Fox News headed for trial, again, over 2020 election fraud ...
- Fox Must Face Smartmatic's $2.7 Billion Defamation ...
- Fox News controversies
- Lawsuit Updates
- How a Fox News report fueled false claims by Trump and ...
- Gavin Newsom targets Fox News for $787 million in a ...
- Biden's misinformation fueled conspiracy theories, WaPo ...
- The Biggest Lies Peddled by Fox News - ALOT Living